* The Chasers slapped up 8 runs in the 5th and 7th combined to chug to a series-opening win. The Chasers were down, 2-0, but a Manny Pina RBI single and David Lough solo homer (his 5th) tied it after 3. Omaha took command with 5 runs in the 5th as Lorenzo Cain hit a 2-run triple, Clint Robinson singled in a run and Lance Zawadzki tripled in a run. They added 3 in the 7th on a Pina RBI single and 2-run error. Zach Miner gave up 2 runs in the 8th and Robinson Tejeda came in to finish it. Omaha is 54-45. Game 2 is Saturday. Luis Mendoza will start.

* The Naturals used 3 rallies to amass 11 runs and defeat the Cards. Anthony Seratelli kickstarted a 4-run 4th with an RBI triple and Mario Lisson added a 2-run double as part of the rally. Salvador Perez followed with a 3-run homer (his 7th) in the 5th. Jake Odorizzi had a couple touchy innings but kept the Cards scoreless until the 7th, when they scored 4 runs on 3 hits, tho a 3-run homer off Patrick Keating did most of the damage. NWA answered with 4 runs in their half as Perez hit a 2-run single and Christian Colon took a bases-loaded walk before the Naturals left it that way. Kevin Chapman gave up 2 runs in the 9th before ending it. NWA is 14-13 and now tied for first while on a 6-game tear. Game 2 is Saturday. Indy league signee lefty Andrew Dobies has been added to the roster as P Manauris Baez was put on the DL with a shoulder injury.

* Tyler Sample got roughed up but somehow didn't take the loss as the Tribe scored 8 runs from the 6th on to get the win. The Rocks scored 4 runs in the 1st and then 2 in the 3rd to stake Sample to a 6-1 lead. Sample took a 6-3 lead into the 6th but he and Brendan Lafferty fell apart for 6 runs allowed that inning. The Rocks answered with a 4-run 7th to make it 10-9, but Lafferty gave up a 2-run homer in the inning and that was it. Ryan Stovall socked a solo homer in the 3rd for his 1st at Wilmington this season. Other than that, as you can see, it was pretty much a team effort. Wilmington is 10-17. Game 2 is Saturday. Justin Marks will start.

* The Cougars got a run in the 1st but were shutdown thereafter as the Whitecaps salvaged the series finale. The game featured the debut of Antonio Cruz, who most recently was playing with...the Whitecaps. Geulin Beltre led off the game with a double and scored on an error. Jason Adam allowed 2 runs in the 1st and 1 in the 2nd, then gave up a 4th run before getting pulled in the 5th. The Cougars didn't really come close to the kind of rally they needed. KC is 16-11. A 3-game set at the South Bend Silver Hawks (11-16, A Diamondbacks) starts Saturday. Leondy Perez will start game 1.

* Idaho Falls broke out the bats early to make a winner out of Brennon Martin on Thursday. The Chukars scored 3 in the 1st, 1 in the 2nd and 4 in the 3rd to race to an 8-0 lead. Martin was perfect through 3 and gave up a 2-run homer in the 4th, then allowed a run in the 6th before getting pulled in the 7th. Edwin Carl struck out the side in the 9th to put the period at the end of the sentence. Idaho Falls is 13-17. Game 2 is tonight and Helena is currently turning the tables.

* The Royals gave Matt Murray enough fuel to pick up his first pro win on Friday. Murray allowed a run in the 2nd but cruised his last 2 innings before handing it off to the pen in the 7th. Meanwhile, the offense got RBIs from Anthony Howard and Jose Rodriguez in the 4th and Justin Trapp doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the 5th. Nick Graffeo allowed a sac fly to the first batter he faced in the 8th but followed with a perfect 9th for his 4th save. He keeps this up maybe he can help Kane County in the playoff push. Burlington is 12-19. The series ends Saturday. C Jin-Ho Shin was knocked woozy (I guess all the way out, at least momentarily) in a home plate collision in Thursday's loss to the Braves and didn't play Friday. That's the kind of interesting stuff they don't put in the game recaps.

* The Royals fell behind, 6-1, came back to lead, 8-6, fell behind, 10-8, and couldn't recover that time. Jerico Blanco clubbed a 3-run homer in a 5-run Royal 3rd, then hit an RBI double in the 6th. D'Andre Toney also had 4 hits and scored 4 runs, as seen above. The Royals are 9-16 and have tonight off, presumably not to celebrate my birthday.